Lashkarbolouk Hadi

Numerical Modeling of Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC) Flow

Abstract

To use Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC), tools for predicting the form filling of SCC are needed. Such tools should take into account the properties of the concrete, the shape and size of the structural element, the position of rebar, and the casting technique. Lack of such tools may lead to selection of highly flowable mixes with tendency to segregate; i.e., mixes without high static and dynamic stability, or mixes with limited workability. Computational modeling of flow could be used for simulation of form filling and detailed flow behavior can be thus monitored.

The present study intended to numerically simulate the SCC flow in the L-box. The L-box experiment is usually used to determine the passing ability of SCC. As concrete flow in the L-box test is a free surface flow with large deformations, Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method was used for the simulation. In this study, concrete is considered as a homogenous and non-Newtonian Bingham fluid. The numerical results were also compared with the experimental data. A comprehensive parametric study was carried out considering different viscosities and yield stresses. A diagram presented that shows the appropriate viscosity-yield stress range for SCC.

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